Improvement in canceling-stamps



E. D. W. HATCH. Canceling-Stamp.

No. 206,727. Patented Aug. 6,1878% Fig.1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLEN D. W. HATCH, OF ROLLA, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN CANCELlNG-STAM PS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,727. dated August 6, 1878; application filed May 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLEN D. W. HATCH, of Rolla, in the county of Phelps and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stamp-Gancelers, of which the following is a specification:

The invention relates to the cancellation of post-office or other stamps.

Heretofore the method of cancellation of stamps has been either by the application of an ink or dye, or by the destruction of the stamps by perforation or otherwise. The first method is objectionable, for the reason that the ink or dye may be removed by chemical reagents without the defacement of the stamp, and is therefore fugitive. The second method is not applicable to postage-stamps, since the mechanical devices resorted to for such purposes may be destructive to the valuable contents of the letter or other postal matter.

The object of my invention is to provide a system of cancellation which efiectually precludes the restoration of the stamp by removing the ink or dye, and which shall not work injury to the object stamped.

The following is a full description of my invention:

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents an interior view of the canceler.

A, B B, O O, D D, E E, and F show the respeetive parts. A is a short steel tube-about an inch or a little longer-running through the center of a solid rubber stopper, B B, which stopper fits tightlyin the cylindrical end C O of a brass piece affixed to the wooden handle D D by a screw, F. E E is the ferrule end of the brass piece.

Fig. 2 is intended to represent the outer surface or disk of the rubber stopper, and should be about as large as the circle represented by the outer heavy black line. These black lines are intended to show the indentations or depressions in the surface. The fine line inside of the smallest black line, indicated by the letter A, is intended to represent the steel tube. This tube I will more particularly describe hereinafter.

Fig. 3 represents inside or bottom of brass piece, through which screw Fpasses into handle. It should be about the size of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows reverse end of rubber stopper.

The operation of the canceler is as follows: It is first dipped in the ink or dye and applied by ordinary hand-pressure to the stamp to be canceled. This pressure not only cancels the stamp, but at the same time perforates or breaks it by the steel tube, which has a knife-edge. The stopper I make of rubber, from one to one and a quarter inch long, and about five-eighths of an inch in diameter, with a slight increase at the outer surface or disk. The steel tube I insert from the inner end of stopper. It is nearly as long, is firmly fixed and adjusted, and is so arranged as to project just far enough below the outer surface of stopper so that when the stamp is canceled it cuts, but does not go through so as to injure postal or other matter.

This device is of simple construction and peculiar advantage and worth in that it has not a hard unyielding surface, as is the case in most stamps, but is very elastic, and, in addition, the stopper and tube are readily removable and substituted by others.

I am aware that a cutter or perforator in a canceling-stamp is old; but

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination, in a stamp-eanceler, of a rubber cork or stopper, having through the center a steel cutting-tube, with a metallic end piece chambered to receive and hold the stopper carrying the cutting-tube, substantially as described.

ELLEN l). V. IlATCll.

Witnesses:

BENTON HATCH, P. H. FINLAY. 

